12173001a bAndhavAH karma vittaM vA prajJA veha pitAmaha 'Which of these, O grandsire, viz., kinsmen, or acts, or wealth, or wisdom
12173001c narasya kA pratiSThA syAd etat pRSTo vadasva me should be the refuge of a person? Questioned by me, answer me this!'
12173002 bhISma uvAca 'bhISma said,
12173002a prajJA pratiSThA bhUtAnAmM prajJA lAbhaH paro mataH 'Wisdom is the refuge of creatures. Wisdom is regarded as the highest of acquisitions.
12173002c prajJA naizHzreyasI loke prajJA svargo matasH satAm Wisdom is the highest felicity in the world. Wisdom is heaven in the estimation of the good and virtuous.
12173003a prajJayA prApitArtho hi balir aizvaryasaGMkSaye It was through wisdom that vAlin,
12173003c prahrAdo namucir maGkis tasyAH kiM vidyate param Prahlada, Namuchi, and Manki, when they lost their (earthly) prosperity, succeeded in acquiring felicity. What is there that is superior to wisdom?
12173004c indrakAzyapasaMvAdanM tan nibodha yudhiSThira In this connection is cited the old story of the discourse between indra and kAzyapa. Listen to it, O yudhiSThira!
12173005a vaizyaH kaz cid RSiM tAta kAzyapaM saMzitavratam Once on a time a prosperous vaizya,
12173005c rathena pAtayAmAsa zrImAn dRptas tapasvinam in the enjoyment of prosperity, and proud of his affluence, threw down, by negligently driving his car, a RSi's son of rigid vows named Kasyapa, devoted to penances.
12173006a ArtasH sa patitaH kruddhas tyaktvAtmAnam athAbravIt Prostrated on the ground, the young man, in exceeding pain, gave way to his wrath; and under the influence of despair resolved, saying,
12173006c mariSyAmy adhanasyeha jIvitArtho na vidyate 'I shall cast off my life. A poor man has no need of life in this world.'
12173007a tathA mumUrSum AsInam akUjantam acetasam While the brAhmaNa was lying in that state, silent and agitated, deprived of energy and at the point of death,
12173007c indrasH sRgAlarUpeNa babhASe kruddhamAnasam indra appeared on the scene in the form of a jackal and addressing him, said,
12173008a manuSyayonim icchanti sarvabhUtAni sarvazaH 'All (inferior) creatures covet birth in the human race.
12173008c manuSyatve ca vipratvaM sarva evAbhinandati Among men again, the status of a brAhmaNa is much desired.
12173009a manuSyo brAhmaNaz cAsi zrotriyaz cAsi kAzyapa Thou, O Kasyapa, art a human being! Amongst human beings, thou art again a brAhmaNa. Among brAhmaNas, thou art again one that is conversant with the Vedas.
12173009c sudurlabham avApyaitad adoSAn martum icchasi Having obtained that which is attainable with very great difficulty, it behoveth thee not to give up life from folly!
12173010a sarve lAbhAsH sAbhimAnA iti satyA bata zrutiH All kinds Of (worldly) acquisitions are fraught with pride. The declaration of the Srutis in that respect is perfectly true.
12173010c sanMtoSaNIyarUpo 'si lobhAd yad abhimanyase You look like one that should be satisfied. What you are thinking, comes from greed!
12173011a aho siddhArthatA teSAm O, they are so crowned with success,
12173011b yeSAM santIha pANayaH those that have hands!
12173011c pANimadbhyasH spRhAsmAkam My longing for having hands
12173011d yathA tava dhanasya vai is like yours for riches.
12173012a na pANilAbhAd adhiko lAbhaH kaz cana vidyate There is no acquisition that is more valuable than the acquisition of hands.
12173012c apANitvAd vayamM brahman kaNTakAn noddharAmahe Behold, O brAhmaNa, I cannot extract this thorn that has entered my body, or crush these insects and worms that are biting and afflicting me greatly!
12173013a atha yeSAmM punaH pANI devadattau dazAGgulI They that have bestowed upon them two hands with ten fingers,
12173013c uddharanti kRmIn aGgAd dazamAnAn kaSanti ca succeed in throwing away or crushing the worms (by scratching) that bite their limbs.
12173014a himavarSAtapAnAJM ca paritrANAni kurvate They succeed in constructing shelters for themselves from rain, cold, and heat.
12173014c celam annaM sukhaM zayyAnM nivAtaJM copabhuJjate They succeed also in enjoying excellent clothes for themselves, good food, comfortable beds, and excellent habitations.
12173015a adhiSThAya ca gAM loke bhuJjate vAhayanti ca Lying on this Earth, they that have hands enjoy kine and other animals and cause them to carry burthens or drag their vehicles,
12173015c upAyair bahubhiz caiva vazyAn Atmani kurvate and by the aid of diverse means bring those animals under sway (for their own purposes).
12173016a ye khalv ajihvAH kRpaNA alpaprANA apANayaH Those living creatures that are without tongues, that are helpless, of little strength, and destitute of hands,
12173016c sahante tAni duHkhAni bear all the several kinds of misery (indicated above).
12173016d diSTyA tvanM na tathA mune By good luck, O ascetic, thou art not like them.
12173017a diSTyA tvanM na sRgAlo vai By good luck, thou art not a jackal,
12173017b na kRmir na ca mUSakaH nor a worm, nor a mouse,
12173017c na sarpo na ca maNDUko na cAnyaH pApayonijaH nor a frog, nor an animal of any other miserable order.
12173018a etAvatApi lAbhena With this measure of gain (that thou hast won),
12173018b toSTum arhasi kAzyapa thou shouldst, O Kasyapa, be contented!
12173018c kimM punar yo 'si sattvAnAm How happy, again, shouldst thou feel at the thought that amongst living creatures
12173018d sarveSAmM brAhmaNottamaH thou art a superior brAhmaNa!
12173019a ime mAGM kRmayo 'danti These worms are biting me!
12173019b teSAm uddharaNAya me
12173019c nAsti zaktir apANitvAt For want of hands I am unable to drive them off.
12173019d pazyAvasthAm imAmM mama Behold this my miserable plight!
12173020a akAryam iti caivemanM nAtmAnaM sanMtyajAmy aham I do not cast off life because to do so is a very sinful act,
12173020c netaH pApIyasIM yoniM pateyam aparAm iti and lest, indeed, I fall into a more miserable order of existence!
12173021a madhye vai pApayonInAM sArgAlI yAm ahaGM gataH This order of existence, viz., that of a jackal, to which I now belong is rather tolerable.
12173021c pApIyasyo bahutarA ito 'nyAH pApayonayaH Miserable as it is, there are many orders of existence below it that are more miserable still.
12173022a jAtyaivaike sukhatarAsH santy anye bhRzaduHkhitAH By birth certain classes of creatures become happier than others who become subject to great woe.
12173022c naikAntasukham eveha kva cit pazyAmi kasya cit But I never see that there is any order of being which can be said to be in the possession of perfect happiness.
12173023a manuSyA hy ADhyatAmM prApya rAjyam icchanty anantaram Human beings, obtaining affluence, next wish for sovereignty.
12173023c rAjyAd devatvam icchanti devatvAd indratAm api Having achieved sovereignty their next wish is for the status of gods. Having won that status they then wish for the chiefdom of the celestials.
12173024a bhaves tvaM yady api tv ADhyo na rAjA na ca daivatam If thou becomest affluent, thou wilt never succeed in becoming a king (for thou art a brAhmaNa by birth), nor in becoming a god (because, in reality, thy status of Brahmanahood is equal if not superior to that of a god).
12173024c devatvamM prApya cendratvanM naiva tuSyes tathA sati If by any means (led away by the alluring prospect of heavenly bliss) thou becomest a god (instead of attaining to a superior position), thou wilt then covet for the chiefdom of the gods. In no condition wilt thou be contented.
12173025a na tRptiH priyalAbhe 'sti tRSNA nAdbhiH prazAmyati Contentment does not result from acquisition of desirable objects. Thirst is never slaked although there is profusion of water.
12173025c samMprajvalati sA bhUyasH samidbhir iva pAvakaH 1 The thirst for acquisition only blazes up with each fresh acquisition like a fire with new faggots thrown into it.
12173026a asty eva tvayi zoko vai harSaz cAsti tathA tvayi In thee there is grief. But joy also dwells in thee.
12173026c sukhaduHkhe tathA cobhe tatra kA paridevanA Both happiness and misery dwell in thee. Why then shouldst thou yield to grief?
12173027a paricchidyaiva kAmAnAm One should shut up the very root of
12173027b sarveSAJM caiva karmaNAm all desires and acts
12173027c mUlaM runddhIndriyagrAmam Obstruct your senses,
note: I found rundhi here, which IMHO is a misspeling of runddhi.
12173027d zakuntAn iva paJjare like birds in a cage! There can be no cutting of a second head, nor of a third hand. That which does not exist can produce no fear.
note: app. lines missing
12173028a na khalv apy arasajJasya kAmaH kvacana jAyate If one dosn't know its taste, desire for it never arises.
12173028c saMsparzAd darzanAd vApi zravaNAd vApi jAyate It arises from touching, seeing or hearing.
12173029a na tvaM smarasi vAruNyA laTvAkAnAJM ca pakSiNAm Thou hast no idea of the taste of the wine called Varuni or of the meat of the birds called Ladwaka.
12173029c tAbhyAJM cAbhyadhiko bhakSyo na kaz cid vidyate kva cit There is no drink and no food more delicious than these.
12173030a yAni cAnyAni dUreSu bhakSyabhojyAni kAzyapa Thou hast no idea also, O Kasyapa, of every other superior kind of drink and food that exists among men,
12173030c yeSAm abhuktapUrvanM te teSAm asmRtir eva ca for thou hast never tasted it.
12173031a aprAzanam asaMsparzam asanMdarzanam eva ca Without doubt, therefore, not to taste, not to see,
12173031c puruSasyaiSa niyamo manye zreyo na saMzayaH should be the vow of a man if he is to win happiness.
12173032a pANimanto dhanair yuktA balavanto na saMzayaH Creatures that have hands, without doubt, become strong and earn wealth.
12173032c manuSyA mAnuSair eva dAsatvam upapAditAH Men are reduced by men to a state of servitude,
12173033a vadhabandhapariklezaiH klizyante ca punaH punaH and are repeatedly afflicted (at the hands of their own species) with death, imprisonment, and other tortures.
12173033c te khalv api ramante ca modante ca hasanti ca Although such is their condition, yet even they (without yielding to grief) laugh and sport and indulge in merriment.
12173034a apare bAhubalinaH kRtavidyA manasvinaH Others again, though endued with might of arms, and possessed of knowledge and great energy of mind,
12173034c jugupsitAM sukRpaNAmM pApAM vRttim upAsate follow censurable, sinful, and miserable professions.
12173035a utsahante ca te vRttim anyAm apy upasevitum They seek to change such professions for other pursuits (that are more dignified)
12173035c svakarmaNA tu niyatamM bhavitavyanM tu tat tathA but then they are bound by their own acts (of a previous life) and by the force of Destiny.
12173036a na pulkaso na caNDAla AtmAnanM tyaktum icchati The vilest man of the Pukkasa or the Chandala orders never wishes to cast off his life.
12173036c asanMtuSTasH svayA yonyA He is quite contented with the order of his birth.
12173036d mAyAmM pazyasva yAdRzIm Behold the illusion in this respect!
12173037a dRSTvA kuNIn pakSahatAn manuSyAn AmayAvinaH Beholding those amongst thy species that are destitute of arms, or struck with palsy, or afflicted with other diseases,
12173037c susamMpUrNasH svayA yonyA labdhalAbho 'si kAzyapa thou canst regard thyself as very happy and possessed of valuable accompaniments amongst the members of thy own order.
12173038a yadi brAhmaNa dehas te nirAtaGko nirAmayaH If this thy regenerated body remains safe and sound, and free from disease,
12173038c aGgAni ca samagrANi na ca lokeSu dhikkRtaH and all thy limbs remain perfect, thou art sure of never incurring any reproach amongst men.
12173039a na kena cit pravAdena satyenaivApahAriNA It would not behove thee, O brAhmaNa, to cast off thy life even if any blame, founded on fact and capable of bringing about thy dismissal from caste, attached to thee!
12173039c dharmAyottiSTha viprarSe nAtmAnanM tyaktum arhasi Rise, and practise virtue. It is not meet that thou shouldst throw away thy life!
12173040a yadi brahmaJ zRNoSy etac chraddadhAsi ca me vacaH If, O regenerate one, thou listen to me and place credence on my words,
12173040c vedoktasya ca dharmasya phalamM mukhyam avApsyasi thou wilt then obtain the highest reward of the religion inculcated in the Vedas.
12173041a svAdhyAyam agnisaMskAram Do thou set thyself to Vedic studies, and duly maintain thy sacred fire,
12173041b apramatto 'nupAlaya
12173041c satyanM damaJM ca dAnaJM ca and observe truth, and self-restraint, and charity.
12173041d spardhiSThA mA ca kena cit Never compare thyself boastfully with another.
12173042a ye kecana svadhyayanAH prAptA yajanayAjanam Those who, by devoting themselves to the study of the Vedas, become competent for performing sacrifices for themselves and others,
12173042c kathanM te jAtu zoceyur dhyAyeyur vApy azobhanam how will they ever grieve, or worry about bad things coming?
12173043a icchantas te vihArAya sukhamM mahad avApnuyuH
12173043c uta jAtAsH sunakSatre sutIrthAsH sumuhUrtajAH They that are born under an auspicious constellation on an auspicious lunation and at an auspicious hour, strive their best for performing sacrifices, practising charity, and procreating children, and desiring to pass their time cheerfully in those acts, at last win very great happiness. 1
12173044a nakSatreSv AsureSv anye dustIrthA durmuhUrtajAH They, on the other hand, that are born under evil constellations, inauspicious lunations, and at evil hours,
12173044c samMpatanty AsurIM yoniM yajJaprasavavarjitAm become destitute of sacrifices and progeny and at last fall into the asura order. 1
12173045a aham AsamM paNDitako haituko vedanindakaH In my former life I had much useless learning. I always sought for reasons and had very little faith. I was a slanderer of the Vedas.
12173045c AnvIkSikInM tarkavidyAm anurakto nirarthikAm I was destitute of the (fourfold) objects of life, and was devoted to that science of argumentation which is based upon ocular or tangible proofs.
12173046a hetuvAdAn pravaditA vaktA saMsatsu hetumat 2 I used to utter words based on (plausible) reasons. Indeed, in assemblies, I always spoke of reasons (and never faith).
12173046c AkroSTA cAbhivaktA ca brahmayajJeSu vai dvijAn I used to speak irreverently of the declarations of the Srutis and address brAhmaNas in domineering tones.
12173047a nAstikasH sarvazaGkI ca mUrkhaH paNDitamAnikaH I was an unbeliever, skeptical of everything, and though really ignorant, proud of my learning.
12173047c tasyeyamM phalanirvRttisH sRgAlatvamM mama dvija This status of a jackal that I have obtained in this life is the consequence, O regenerate one, of those sins of mine!
12173048a api jAtu tathA tat syAd ahorAtrazatair api If even after hundreds of days and nights I that am a jackal
12173048c yad ahamM mAnuSIM yoniM sRgAlaH prApnuyAM punaH can once again obtain the status of humanity,
12173049a sanMtuSTaz cApramattaz ca yajJadAnataporatiH I shall then pass my life in contentment, heedful of the true objects of existence, and engaged in sacrifices and gifts.
12173049c jJeyajJAtA bhaveyaM vai varjyavarjayitA tathA I shall then know what should be known, and avoid what should be avoided!'
12173050a tatasH sa munir utthAya kAzyapas tam uvAca ha Thus addressed, the ascetic Kasyapa, rising up, said,
12173050c aho batAsi kuzalo buddhimAn iti vismitaH 'O, thou art certainly possessed of knowledge and great intelligence!
12173051a samavaikSata taM vipro jJAnadIrgheNa cakSuSA I am really surprised at all this!' With eyes whose vision was extended by knowledge,
12173051c dadarza cainanM devAnAm indranM devaM zacIpatim the brAhmaNa then beheld that being who had addressed him to be indra, chief of the gods and the lord of zacI.
12173052a tatasH samMpUjayAmAsa kAzyapo harivAhanam Kasyapa then worshipped that god having the best of steeds for the animal that bore him.
12173052c anujJAtaz ca tenAtha praviveza svam Azramam Receiving afterwards the god's permission, the brAhmaNa returned to his abode.''
